The Vahana

Gnomish Legate Balloon · the Legate balloon

The hijacked gnome envoy balloon Carl rides to strike the Wasteland, then abandons as it's shot to pieces.

Story so far

Carl's team turns the envoy balloon Vahana into a Trojan horse. Once aloft, Princess Donut's Hole opens the basket floor and drops Leon the Commissar, Crixus, and Hicks to their deaths, while Katia Grim's spikes anchor her to the wicker. Carl pilots it up toward the Wasteland, firing guided missiles into escort planes and balloons as Langley's archers rocket the rest from below; Donut's clockwork Mongos and Katia's crossbow finish the pursuers.

When the dreadnaught's hundred-barrel Live Ammo Ball battery finally targets the hijacked craft, Carl empties his launchers into its bomb-laden underbelly, then leaps clear with Katia and Donut as the basket is shredded and the whole sky detonates. The Vahana is destroyed in the strike that cripples the Wasteland.

Appearance

An antique black-and-gold-striped hot-air balloon, its decorated basket shredded and blood-spattered by the aerial battle before it's torn apart.

Role

The party's hijacked assault balloon, expended in the strike that shatters the Wasteland.

Relationships

Carl — Who pilots and fires from it before leaping clear as it's destroyed.

Wasteland — The dreadnaught it's flown up to strike and cripple.

Princess Donut — Whose Hole empties it of gnomes to begin the hijack.

Katia Grim — Who anchors and fights aboard it during the ascent.

Sources — 2 recorded facts, by chapter

Chapter 11

The gnomes' ancient black-and-gold peace-envoy balloon, sent to parley over the hostage — and eyed by Carl as a way up.

Chapter 12

The hijacked gnome envoy balloon Carl rides to strike the Wasteland, then abandons as it's shot to pieces.